Tech, Autos, & Gear in Layman's Terms Since 2006

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Did you forget to buy a gift for that Scientologist relative who shunned you as a suppressive person? Show them you care with this amazing list from Drew Magary at Deadspin, who helpfully (and bravely) read the entire Scientology Christmas Catalog so the rest of us didn’t have to. Scientology is a scary concept, and …

I was listening to Tom Merritt’s Daily Tech News Show and they mentioned a great site and app that will help you save money while going home for the holidays. It’s called Fuel my Route, and the goal is to show the price of gas along the route you’re traveling. This in turn should help you find …

It is nothing short of awesome when new technology is used to create traditional religious objects. Case in point, the 3D Printed Kippah that was given to me as a present last night. Members of my congregation saw this Kippah and knew I would love it. I do; it’s cool tech I can wear on …

Released just a month ago as the least expensive Windows tablet at $99, HP’s new Stream 7 Windows 8.1 tablet was featured on a Black Friday sale at Office Depot. With an Intel processor, 32GB storage, and a 1280 x 800 resolution screen, the Stream 7 promises much for a low price. Here are some …

There are Bluetooth speakers, and then there are Bluetooth speakers. Wow, is the AudioEngine B2 Bluetooth speaker ever an amazing Bluetooth speaker. Not only is the walnut cabinet on the speaker absolutely gorgeous, but it puts out a whopping 60W of sound. More importantly, the sound it puts out is fantastic. And… it is under $300!

I ordered the Moto 360 with black metal band two weeks ago when it first went on sale. FedEx just dropped off the device, and at first I thought there was something wrong. The metal watch band of the Moto 360 was way (way) too small.

So you’ve placed your dinner order from your mobile device’s Domino’s Pizza app, but picking your phone or tablet up to check the status every few minutes is just so hard. No worries; leave your device lying there, and look at the Pebble Watch on your wrist, instead. Because you can. A good looking watch with an even better looking …

BMW and Polyphony Digital, Inc. will make their rare BMW M Performance M4 Safety Car into a playable reality in the Gran Turismo 6 game on PlayStation 3, which is at a newly reduced price for the holidays. This free content will appear in an update later this month. The actual car was produced by BMW of North America.

The PlayStation TV device ($99 MSRP) expands the streaming box experience into the video game realm to include games on PlayStation Vita, PSP, PS One, and PlayStation 3 using their cloud streaming PlayStation Now technology plus games on PlayStation 4 using Remote Play.

Are you someone who takes your morning coffee very seriously? Do you turn up your nose at Starbucks and other national chains usually found in hotel lobbies, considering them to be wannabe posers? Then you might be the connoisseur that Timbuk 2 had in mind when they collaborates with Blue Bottle to make this $179 …

Dragon Age: Origins is now free on PC from the Origin game distribution service from Electronic Arts through the special “On the House” program. Dragon Age: Origins is a role-playing action video game originally released in 2009 and reviewed by us here. Be aware that you’ll need an internet connection to access the online services and features.

We love our Roku and use it constantly. It’s about to get far better, though, with a new screen mirroring feature! Android phones running KitKat will be able to beam the screen onto the TV, which will be handy for slideshows and game nights! Look for a full write-up after our Roku gets the update. …

Maxis and Electronic Arts will release free content for their latest installment of their popular life simulation game series, The Sims 4. Players just log in EA’s gaming service Origin then enjoy updates the rest of the year including the recently released special Star Wars costume set and Halloween items with pool coming in November.

If you usually carry a bottle opener keyring, as so many of us do, then you could be getting so much more utility out of that doodad. A Kanex GoBuddy+ adds an emergency sync and charge cable with either a lightning port or microUSB connector, and yes — a bottle opener. Pretty nifty, right? It will charge your …

Dragon Age Inquisition will feature a unique character creation tool (male and female) when the game officially releases on November 18. Dragon Age Inquisition is the next-generation RPG from BioWare set in an epic, dark fantasy world where players are empowered to shape and drive their experience with tough choices that allow them to experience moments based on those …

This is a first for me; we’ve covered plenty of external battery packs on Gear Diary, but never one that was able to serve as both “an emergency vehicle jump-starter and portable power bank”, which is exactly what the Viatek’s new Pocket Jump does. You can back on Kickstarter for as low as $40 or get two …

Do you have an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6+ on backorder, but it’s not due for delivery for a week or two? Here’s a secret – use the Apple website to order online. When you get to the checkout page use the “Available for pickup” link on the right side to see whether your local Apple store has …

Verizon Wireless is offering the newly announced iPhone 6 (16GB version) free to customers who turn in their existing iPhone and sign a two-year agreement with them. In this Verizon Wireless iPhone 6 deal, participants have to trade in their functional iPhone models 4, 4S, 5, 5S or 5C.

A Facebook post by Judie last night sparked renewed interest in the cars we pre-ordered from Elio Motors last January. Our upcoming vehicles get an amazing 84 MPG, top speeds of 100 MPH, and cost just $6800. In fact, since Judie and I each went all-in and put down a non-refundable $1000 deposit, our Elios …

A lot of intelligent and connected vehicle news coming out of Detroit this week, as automakers take part in the Intelligent Transport System World Congress. General Motors CEO Mary Barra led things off with her keynote address boasting new technologies arriving on an all-new 2017 Cadillac model that will include advanced driver assist dubbed “Super …

The DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket gaming console package is back on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Xbox One! This service celebrates 20 years with a return to consoles, which began on the consoles like the PlayStation 3 three years ago. Last year’s users got service access codes (e.g. on PC) when purchasing …